


Over Science and Water we Talked About Love

by transteverogers



Series: Science & Water [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Mythical Creatures, M/M, Popular Liam, merman!zayn, science geek!liam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 03:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5318816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transteverogers/pseuds/transteverogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn's a merman. A <i>frickin'</i> merman. And, just because it's Zayn's luck, the Liam Payne, residant science geek, finds out. </p><p>(AKA the one with science and magic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Over Science and Water we Talked About Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HisTwenty7Tattoos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisTwenty7Tattoos/gifts).



> Based off the prompt: Zayn is afraid of water. But not exactly the water itself, more so of what happens to him when he's in it. Zayn changes to a merman when he enters the water and is afraid/anxious around it because he doesn't want anyone to know. Zayn and Liam both work at the local pool, Zayn at the front desk and Liam as a swimming instructor. They get along well and both really like each other, and late one night when it's just them closing the pool Liam finds out Zayn secret after he falls/gets pushed/etc. into the pool.
> 
> I really hope you like it and I know it's sorta short which is why I decided, because I like the prompt so much, I'm gonna start a small little series on it. I know for sure I'm planning on writing at least one more piece for this series and we'll see where it goes after that!!

“You closing tonight too?” Liam asks casually when Zayn comes out of the lifeguard office just as the last people are getting out of the public pool.

 

Zayn nods. “Yeah, love these shifts.” He says sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Closing shifts were, without a doubt, the worst shift. He always finished his duties 20 minutes before he was allowed to leave so he was left wondering around and shuffling more papers in the office and just trying to keep himself busy.

 

Liam laughs, his eyes crinkling up and Zayn’s heart melts in his chest. “Yeah they’re not the best.” Liam agrees, biting his bottom lip, a nervous tick Zayn’s noticed over the time they’ve worked together. “You wouldn’t mind if I clocked out early would you? I’ve got this uh, thing sorta? I mean it’s ok if I’m late but-”

 

“It’s fine Liam.” Zayn laughs softly, ducking his head a bit to hide the soft red flush of his cheeks from Liam’s gentle brown eyes. “I don’t mind bro.”

 

Liam smiles gratefully at Zayn and pulls Zayn into a quick hug. “Thanks, seriously.”

 

Zayn sighs inaudibly and melts- just for a second- against Liam’s warm chest. “S’no problem.” Zayn mumbles, pulling back after the appropriate amount of time. “Uh, have fun at your thing.” He says, waving his hand awkwardly because he’s not sure what else to do.

 

Liam nods and ducks his head, turning around and heading for the exit. “I’ll see you later.”

 

“I’m working next Tuesday.” Zayn calls after him. Liam and him went to the same school but they didn’t talk a lot during it, since they both ran in different crowds. Zayn hung out with all the stoner types while Liam was head of the school’s science club.

 

Liam stops at the door, biting his lip for a moment as if he wants to say something else but instead he nods. “Me too.” He says, “I’ll uh, I’ll see you then Zayn.”

 

“See you then.” Zayn mumbles, _and see you in the halls and during lunch when I creepily stare at you from across the cafeteria_. He can’t help but add mentally as Liam leaves. Zayn lets out a sigh and rubs at his face, heading to the edge of the pool and he looks down at the crystal clear blue water.

 

Zayn bites his bottom lip and, before he can think further of it, Zayn jumps into the pool, letting the cool water wash over him. He can feel his body tingling, like it normally does, but instead of holding back and fighting against the feeling, Zayn finds himself giving in and letting his body change. The water around him bubbles up and steams, and Zayn can feel it heating up before cooling down again, all in a matter of moments. He opens his eyes and they sting a bit from the chemicals in the water but it’s easy to ignore after blinking a couple times. Zayn looks down at his body as he lays at the bottom of the shallow end of the pool, completely covered by the water.

 

What used to be two, completely normal (albeit a bit skinny) legs, are now a shimmery golden orange fin and he’s wearing no shirt, which his tattoos on display completely. Zayn lets out the breath he was holding and, even though he knows he can stay under much longer, Zayn lets his body float to the top, breathing in softly when he hits the surface. Zayn keeps his eyes closed as he floats along the warm but chemical filled water and thinks. It had been ages since he got to swim- truly swim- in an ocean or lake, not just a quick dip in the pool at work and Zayn can only count the days until summer when he can drive down to the beach every night and swim the night away while-

 

“Sorry mate I just-” Zayn hears Liam say, coming back into the pool room and Zayn bolts up, trying to hide his tail but it’s too late and the water’s too clear anyways and Liam’s staring at him with wide, unbelieving eyes.

 

“I-I can explain!” Zayn stutters, almost feeling himself cry because fuck, what if Liam told someone? What if this whole secret got out and the government or weird scientific organisations came after him? After his family (not that Zayn knew if any of his other family members had his, ahem, talent)?

 

“Holy shit…” Liam says softly. “You’ve got… is that even…?”

 

“It’s um, it’s a fake.” Zayn says quickly, hoping to every magical and mystical being that Liam believes him. “I was just um- trying it on?”

 

Liam just looks at the spot where Zayn’s waist turns from skin to scales and he shakes his head slowly. “That’s- that’s a real tale. Zayn you’ve got a fucking tail.” He says the last word in a high pitch, eyes completely wide. “You’re a fucking mermaid!”

 

On instinct, Zayn looks around to see if anyone can hear them speaking but it’s empty. “Please don’t tell anyone.” He says softly, giving up on convincing Liam that he’s completely human. “We’re- we’re friends right? You won’t tell anyone?”

 

Liam frowns a bit. “Of course we’re friends. And anyways, if I did tell anyone- which I would never do- do you really think they’d believe me?”

 

Zayn stares at Liam for a moment. “You promise not to tell anyone?” He says slowly, moving closer to the edge of the pool, where Liam is standing.

 

Liam nods. “You wouldn’t happen to be willing to let me take some like… samples of your blood and stuff would you?”

 

Zayn’s eyes narrow. “Oh so you won’t tell anyone until you can prove what am I?” He all but growls.

 

“Zayn- no.” Liam says firmly. “I just- I’m a science geek ok and you? You’re like, not even human. Quite literally and- I just want to understand? I mean, you can’t possible know how or why this is all happening to you?” He waits to see if Zayn corrects him and continues on when he doesn’t. “Don’t you want to know how this is happening? Why you’re the one who this is happening to?”

 

Zayn goes quiet for a moment. “I just want it gone.” He says after a moment. “I want to stop worrying that every time I touch water that if I don’t focus and control myself, I can turn into- into-”

 

“Into a mermaid?” Liam supplies.

 

Zayn flushes and groans softly. “Yeah, that.”

 

Liam goes quiet for a moment. “You let me research and poke and prod all I want, and I’ll help you find a way to reverse this. Assuming you haven’t always been a, y’know, and I can actually find a way to do it.”

 

“You would help me?” Zayn asks.

 

Liam nods. “If that’s what you really want but… if you ask me, I think you’re giving up something amazing.”

 

“You’re not the one who has to deal with it.” Zayn huffs quietly. “Mind uh, helping pull me out?” He swims easily over to the edge of the pool and reaches up for Liam’s stretched out hands, allowing the other boy to pull him out of the water. Zayn most definitely does not stare at the way Liam’s biceps bulge.

 

“You’re heavier than you look.” Liam grunts out when Zayn’s managed to get himself sitting on the pool ledge. He flops over a bit, heaving his tail out of the water and letting it fall loudly onto the pool deck floor, leaning back on his arms.

 

“It’s the tail.” Zayn shrugs, looking down at his body and smoothing out the scales even though there’s nothing wrong with them. It was weird, having his tail exposed to someone, anyone, like this.

 

Liam reaches his hand down but stops, as if thinking better of it. “Do you… do you mind if I touch the tail?”

 

Zayn nods and Liam lets his hand reach all the way down this time, fingers brushing against the cool, wet scales. Zayn shivers softly, not used to someone touching his scales and Liam’s fingers feel so, so warm on his tail. “You’re freezing.” Liam mumbles. “D’you want like, a towel or something?”

 

Zayn nods. “Uh yeah. I’d rather get rid of the tail if I’m not gonna be in the water y’know? Kinda useless on land.” He laughs nervously, not looking at Liam as his face flushes a soft red.

 

“Right, yeah, of course.” Liam nods, quickly moving to grab a towel from the the office. He returns a couple moments later with a large pile of towels in his arms and Zayn can’t help but laugh.

 

“I only needed one.” He says, grabbing the towel that Liam hands him and starts rubbing at his tail. “What’d you do? Take every towel you could find?”

 

It’s Liam’s turn to blush now. “Sorry I wasn’t sure if you needed like, a lot?” He mumbles.

 

Zayn shakes his head. “Nah it’s… it’s fine.” He says, voice soft and honest as he makes eye contact with Liam. They hold each other’s eyes for a moment before Liam coughs, looking away.

 

“So… mermaid, huh?” He says, trying to act casual but failing miserably.

 

“Merman, actually.” Zayn says, feeling a bit dorky correcting him and he doesn’t look at Liam, instead tugging on a loose thread in the towel before resuming rubbing his tail dry.

 

Liam nods. “Sorry.” He mumbles and an unsettling silence falls over the two of them for a long moment before- “I have so many questions like- have you always been able to do this? Or was it a recent thing? Does anyone else know? Does it happen every time you get wet? Can you control it? Do you have to be wet? Can you-”

 

“Liam!” Zayn all but yells, eyes wide as he looks at Liam.

 

“Sorry.” Liam mumbles again, scratching at the back of his head. “It’s just- you’re a merman Zayn, you have to have questions or at least the answers to some of mine!”

 

Zayn rubs a hand tiredly at his eyes. “I um, I don’t know anything really?” He admits, cheeks flushing. He had just as many questions as Liam, all without answers. “I don’t think I’ve always been able to do it.”

 

“Think? How can you not know?” Liam presses. “Did you always get a tail or did it happen later on?”

 

“I don’t- I don’t know.” Zayn says weakly. “I don’t like to think about it- hell, this is the first time I’ve transformed since August!”

 

“So you can control when you turn?” He asks and Zayn nods, biting his lip. “So maybe some other part of you was controlling it when you were a kid and you unlocked it later on in life?” He speculates. “What happened around the time that you first changed?”

 

Zayn runs a hand through his hair roughly, tugging on it a bit. “I’m not sure- it was years ago-”

 

“Think.” Liam presses. “You have to remember something.”

 

“Well I’m not going to remember anything with you pressuring me like this!” Zayn snarks at him, glaring at bit for a moment before he sighs. “Sorry you’re just- you can be a bit-”

 

“Harsh, sorry.” Liam mumbles. “I just- aren’t you curious?”

 

Zayn shrugs, not looking at the other boy again and he smooths his scales over even if there’s nothing wrong with them in the first place. There never is. “I guess I just don’t want to believe that this actually happens to me.” He mumbles back and he can feel his legs tingling softly. “Oh- I’m about to turn back.” He says just before a cloud of steam is released from his tail and all of a sudden he’s in front of Liam with nothing but a towel in his lap. His face turns bright red. “My uh- my shorts are probably at the bottom of the pool.” He mumbles, looking anywhere but Liam and Liam doing the same.

 

“Oh- right- do you want me to dive in and get them?” He asks.

 

“They’re shreds but um- would you?” Zayn mumbles. “I don’t want anyone figuring out they’re mine and asking questions as to why my shorts are shredded up and at the bottom of the pool.”

 

Liam nods and quickly toes off his shoes and shirt before perfectly diving in, still in his swim shorts from his shift. Zayn swears softly at the sight of Liam’s beautiful, muscular body before Liam pops back up with Zayn’s ripped shorts in his hand and swims over to the edge, pulling himself out and allowing Zayn to continue his oogling for a moment long before Zayn blushes and looks at his lap. “Want me to just toss them?” He asks, grabbing one of the numerous towels he had brought out beforehand to quickly dry himself off.

 

“That’d be great thanks.” Zayn says, getting up off the ground and keeping the towel around himself. He wraps it tightly around his waist but it still feels awkward, standing in front of a partially wet, mostly naked Liam while he himself is completely naked under the towel. “Shit- didn’t you have a thing?” His eyes go wide.

 

Liam shakes his head, waving Zayn off and letting the towel rest on his shoulders. “It’s fine I didn’t really want to go anyways- I was gonna go over to Sophia’s place to talk to her.”

 

“Oh uh, your girlfriend?” Zayn coughs, trying to be casual and feeling like he failed miserably.

 

Liam shakes his head again. “No, no, we’re just friends. She wants to be more but I’ve been trying to let her down easily and it’s not working.” He runs his hand through his hair, sighing. “I’ve been putting it off for ages and it keeps getting worse and worse y’know?”

 

Zayn shrugs, not looking at Liam as they head towards the change room. “I wouldn’t know, no.” He admits. “I’m pretty sure there are like, 3 other gay guys at school and none of them have tried to hit on me so…”

 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’d hit on you.” Liam grins and Zayn flushes, looking down as Liam pushes open the door to the men’s change room, holding it open for Zayn.

 

“Thank.” Zayn laughs, but if only Liam would actually hit on him, one of Zayn’s numerous problems would actually be solved. But that would involve Liam being gay which, no such luck. That Zayn knew about, anyways. He was secretly holding out on the idea that Liam was still in the closet but even Zayn could admit it’s unlikely hood.

 

They both head to their own lockers, across the way from each other and Zayn quickly pulls some boxers on underneath the towel before tugging on a pair of sweat pants and a baggy sweater over top, and grabs his bag to check his phone, just in case his mum or baba had decided to take pity on him and pick him up. No such luck. He groans softly and throws his phone back in his bag before taking his skateboard out of his locker. “No ride?” Liam asks, raising an eyebrow at Zayn’s board.

 

“Yeah.” Zayn shrugs. “S’not to bad, I’ll live.”

 

“I can drive you.” Liam offers. “I’ve got a car and I don’t mind, really.” Zayn bites his lip, thinking for a moment. “You know what, no, you don’t have a choice.” Liam smiles. “I’m kidnapping you, lets go.”

 

Zayn laughs. “Because that’s so convincing.” He says but he follows Liam as he follows the other boy out of the buliding and into the parking lot.

 

“It worked, did it not?” Liam grins, unlocking the car and the two boys climb into it. “So, where do you live?” He asks, starting the car and pulling out of his parking spot.

 

Zayn flushes because he hates telling people where he lives. “Glenn Hill.” He mumbles.

 

“Oh- right.” Liam flushes as well because everyone knew the Maliks lived on Glenn Hill, the richest part of town and a gated community at that. The Maliks made many many donations to the school- hell, basically all of the science equipment Liam used was bought via donations from the Maliks. Zayn avoids looking at Liam, instead opting to look out the window and watch the streetlights as they go past. “Sorry for making it awkward- I made it awkward didn’t I?” Liam glances from off the road to look at Zayn for a moment before looking back.

 

“No, no, it’s fine.” Zayn says. “M’just- like, awkward about it y’know?” He shrugs awkwardly while looking down at a small hole in the sleeve of his shirt, absentmindedly trying to poke his thumb through it. “S’a bit weird when your parents denotation thousands to the school you go to.”

 

Liam nods, trying to act like he understands but they both know he never could. Soon enough but not soon enough, they arrive at the front gates of Glenn Hill and Liam pulls up to a stop in front of the gates. “So- uh-” He starts to say, unsure of what to say exactly.

 

“I’ll just skate the rest of the way home, it’s fine.” Zayn gives Liam a thankful smile. “Thanks for the ride though.”

 

Liam nods again, what feels like the millionth time that night. “Oh- wait-” He says before looking around in the car for something. He finds what he’s looking for pretty quickly- a pen and a peice of paper- and writes his number down on it before handing it to Zayn. “Text me yeah? We can uh, talk about meeting up?” He suggests.

 

Zayn takes the number, heart pounding in his chest before he remembers the only reason Liam’s even offering him this is because of the fact that he found out Zayn’s fish problem. His heart deflates, just a bit and Zayn takes the peice of paper. “Oh, right.” He nods. “I’ll text you later then.” He mumbles, pushing open the car door and getting out, heading for the key code next to the gate to open it as Liam drives off into the night.

 

____________________________________

 

“Don’t look now but I think Liam Payne’s heading for our table.” Louis- Zayn’s best friend of too many years- hisses to him a couple days later at school, during their shared lunch period. Zayn turns around, eyes scanning over the cafeteria and, sure enough, they land on Liam who’s heading straight for the two of them. “I thought I said not to look.” Louis huffs, rolling his eyes a bit as Zayn quickly turns back around.

 

“Don’t say something rude.” Is the first thing out of Zayn’s mouth just before Liam comes within earshot. Louis has the decency not to reply but he glares at Zayn anyways. “Hey Liam.” Zayn says as Liam comes to a stop in front of their table, awkwardly standing there.

 

“Hi.” He says, cheeks flushing a bit. “I uh- you didn’t text me?” Liam says, but it sounds more like a question than a statement.

 

Zayn’s own cheeks flush as well. “Sorry I’ve just been sorta swamped y’know? With like, projects and stuff.” He half says, half mumbles and looks down at his plate, pushing the food around with his plastic fork.

 

“Right I uh-” Liam looks nervously from Zayn to Louis and then back to Zayn. “If you don’t wanna- anymore, s’fine. I won’t tell anyone.” He mumbles to Zayn quietly, obviously embarrassed before turning around and leaving the table.

 

“Tell anyone what?” Louis asks but Zayn ignores him, getting up and going after Liam, stopping him.

 

Suddenly, they’re standing face-to-face in the middle of the caf, a bit too close for friends to normally stand but neither of them move away while Zayn’s hand grips Liam’s wrist gently. “I uh-” Zayn stutters, remembering that they’re in public and Liam’s not into him, at least not like that. “I was too nervous to text.” He admits, blushing. “I’ll uh, I’ll text you tonight?”

 

Liam nods. “I’m free tonight?” He offers. “If you wanna like, hang out or something? Maybe we can uh, work on that thing?”

 

Zayn nods, biting his lip. Right, of course, Liam doesn’t want to actually hang out, he’s just interested in Zayn as a science geek. “I’m free tonight too.” He says quietly. “I’ll text you later.” He mumbles and remembers that he’s still holding Liam’s wrist in his hand. “Sorry.” He blushes bright red and drops Liam’s wrist, quickly turning away and heading back to his seat.

 

He’s not even sitting when Louis smacks him on the shoulder. “What the hell was that about?!” He hisses, rather loudly because he hates Zayn, apparently, and wants to humiliate him further. “Liam gave you his number and you didn’t text him, first off rude.” Louis huffs. “Secondly, what the fuck!?”

 

Zayn just shakes his head and tugs out his phone, opening a new message like he’s done a million times the past couple days and types in the familiar phone number (familiar from all the times Zayn typed it into the ‘new message’ block but never actually sending a message). ‘ _Sorry I didnt text u b4 … - Z’_ he types out, sending it before he can think differently and shoving his phone back in his pocket as Louis kicks him roughly under the table. “What was that for?” Zayn groans, rubbing at his shin.

 

“For not telling me that the guy you’ve been massively crushing on since forever ago gave you his number.” Louis crosses his arms. “Also, what was that think he kept talking about?”

 

Zayn shakes his head. “It’s nothing- just something work related.” He says vaguely. Zayn was serious when he told Liam that no one else knew about his amphibious problem- not Louis, not his family, no one.

 

Louis goes quiet for a moment. “I’m still angry that you didn’t tell me he gave you his number.” He says firmly before grinning a bit and leaning forward. “Now, tell me how it happened.”

 

Zayn laughs a bit. “You sound like a 12 year old girl finding out her crush likes her.”

 

“Yes well, I have no love life so I have to live vicariously through yours which is lacking.” Louis says pointedly. “I need all the details I can get.”

 

Zayn laughs again, rolling his eyes but he tells Louis about the drive home (rather lamely, because the whole story fits into about two sentences, even with the fact that Zayn gushes- just a bit though, not that he would ever admit to gushing at all), and just as he finishes up the story his phone vibrates in his pocket and he tugs it out to see a text from Liam.

 

_‘Meet me at my car afr scool nd ill giv u a rid ?’_

 

Zayn glances up and over to Liam’s usual table, catching the other boy’s eye. Liam smiles at him a bit, cheeks flushing pink and he gives Zayn a small wave. Zayn can’t help but smile back a bit and waves back before turning back to his phone, typing out his reply (’ok see u then’) and sending it.

 

Later that day, after the final bell rings and Zayn’s managed to shove all his books and homework into his bag, he grabs his jacket and tugs it on before heading out into the school parking lot and looking for Liam’s red pickup, the one he’s become familiar with from seeing it all the time at work. It takes him a couple moments to find it the sea of people and cars but, soon enough, Zayn sees it and heads towards the car. Outside of it, Liam’s talking to a girl Zayn recognises as Sophia and she looks pissed, to say the least and it causes Zayn to slow his walk, not wanting to interrupt anything.

 

“You know, people think you’re a saint Liam but you’re really anything but.” She hisses loudly at him, obviously not caring for the scene she’s creating.

 

Liam looks around nervously. “Sophia- we’re causing a scene- can we talk about this later?”

 

“Talk about what later!?!” She all but screams. “How you’re obviously cheating on me!? Who the hell is she, huh? Who’s the BITCH FUCKING MY BOYFRIEND?” She actually does scream this time, looking around at everyone, eyes wild.

 

“I’m not cheating on you Sophia-” Liam’s entire face is bright red. “I just- you’re not- we’re not-”

 

Sophia huffs and glares at Liam, successfully shutting him up right away. “I don’t get dumped.” She says lowly. “I do not get dumped. Ever.”

 

Liam bites his bottom lip and looks around again, this time locking eyes with Zayn and sending him a distress signal that could probably be seen from space. Zayn gets the just of it and walks over, acting like he had no idea what was happening before. “Uh, you still free to drive me Liam?” He says, nervously shoving his thumbs under the straps of his backpack.

 

“Right- I said I would drive Zayn.” Liam says, looking between the two of them. “As in, I would drive him home like, right now, so we’re gonna have to talk later Sophia.” He says and Sophia doesn’t reply, just huffs and stalks off in the opposite direction that Zayn came from, heading towards what looks like one of her friend’s cars. “Thank you, so so much.” Liam says as soon as she’s out of earshot.

 

Zayn shrugs, ducking his head a bit. “You looked like you needed help.”

 

“Desperately.” Liam huffs, climbing into his truck while Zayn goes around to the other side, getting in after him. “We started dating ages ago- all of our friends were together, it just made sense.” He shrugs a bit. “I never really had feelings for her so I broke it off last night. This morning though, she acted like it never happened so that was what that whole… thing was about.” Zayn nods, unsure what to say. “Sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about my boring drama.” Liam laughs nervously, starting up the truck and pulling out of the parking space as he heads towards the road.

 

Zayn shrugs, “S’fine, I don’t have any drama ever, honestly. I think you need more than one friend to even qualify to have drama.” He jokes.

 

“I just think it’s Sophia, honestly.” Liam mutters before looking over at Zayn and blushing. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be complaining.”

 

Zayn just shrugs again. “S’fine.” They fall into a soft silence, the radio playing quietly in between them before Zayn speaks again. “If you wanna head back to my place, I back onto a forest and there’s a small pond a bit into it.” He suggests, biting his lip nervously. “Since you probably wanna like, run some tests or something?”

 

Liam nods. “Yeah, I’ve got some equipment in the back.” He explains, biting his lip and pausing for a moment. “You don’t mind, do you? I mean I’m sure you don’t really want me to know and me running tests on you probably makes it worse and if you don’t want to I can just drop you off at your place and leave-”

“Liam!” Zayn says, laughing softly a bit as he interrupts Liam’s rambling.

 

“Sorry, I ramble when I’m nervous.” Liam confesses, not looking at Zayn.

 

Zayn blushes, not looking at the other boy either. “Why are you nervous?”

 

Liam shrugs, mumbling something under his breath. “S’nothing.” He says, louder and so Zayn can hear him a moment later. “M’just weird, s’all.”

 

“I don’t think you’re weird.” Zayn offers, smiling a bit before ducking his head. Before Liam can respond though, they’re pulling up to the gates of the community that Zayn lives in and Liam’s stopping the car and rolling down his window so the guard can see Zayn. Zayn waves awkwardly, recognising the guard who just opens the gate, waving them through.

 

Liam lets out a low whistle, glancing around at all the expensive houses around them. “Woah.” He says, eyes a bit wider than normal.

 

“It’s on the left.” Zayn says, unsure of what else to say. “My place, I mean. And it’s almost all the way down so just keep driving, I’ll tell you when we’re coming up on it.”

 

Liam nods and does what Zayn says, still eyeing at the other houses that pass, almost like he can’t believe how big and expensive looking they all look. “You could probably fit my house like, at least twice in these homes.” Liam says, laughing a bit nervously.

 

Zayn just shrugs. “They’re probably overcompensating for something else.”

 

Liam looks at Zayn for a moment before bursting out into a sharp laugh, grinning at him in a way that Zayn can’t help but laugh a bit as well, ducking his head and grinning. “Nice one.” Liam says, laughing softly. “You’re probably right too.”

 

Zayn smirks a bit and shrugs again. “Tends to happen sometimes, me being right.” He banters and a knot that he didn’t realise he had loosened inside of him. “Oh, just this one right here.” Zayn says, pointing out one of the houses and Liam pulls up to a stop in front of it, eyes wide.

 

“Your house is massive- like, even compared to all the others we passed it’s huge.” Liam says, tone filled with disbelief at the sight in front of him. Zayn can’t help but agree with how large it is. The house- his house- stood on a slight hill, partially above all the other houses. It was a soft creme colour, the roofing down with Spanish tiles and spanning ridiculously large over the massive portion of land the Maliks own.

 

“Don’t even know why, honestly. Half the rooms we don’t even use. Not to mention the summer house we have, which is roughly the same size as this place.” Zayn mutters, grabbing his bag and getting out of Liam’s truck. “Lemme just drop this stuff off in my room and then we can head out into the forest yeah?” Zayn says, not waiting for Liam’s response as he heads towards the house. Liam gets out of the car, quickly following Zayn while still looking at the house with wide eyes because, yeah, even Zayn can admit how hugely over-sized his house was. Zayn punches in the key code for the house before opening the door and holding it open for Liam as he walks in, eyes growing impossibly wider at the inside of the house.

 

“Jesus Christ.” Liam says, letting out a low whistle and looking all around at the foyer. “I’m pretty sure this one room is bigger than the entire top floor of my house.”

 

“Mum?” Zayn calls out instead, unsure what to say to Liam’s comment. The fact that Zayn’s house was as big as it was always made things uncomfortable and awkward. “Baba?” When he gets no response, Zayn kicks off his shoes, heading towards the large staircase. “C’mon.” He motions for Liam, cheeks heating for no reason other than the fact that he was showing Liam Payne to his bedroom.

 

Liam nods, following Zayn up the staircase, eyeing the art work on the wall. “Some of this stuff is really sick.” He notes, eyeing one of the paintings Zayn did.

 

“Thanks.” Zayn flushes, not used to people complimenting his paintings no matter how often it happens. “I did that one a couple years ago.”

 

“Wait. You did it?” Liam says, eyes wide in surprise as he looks from Zayn to the painting and then back to Zayn again. Zayn nods, biting his lip nervously as if telling Liam that would make the other boy change his mind on whether or not he liked it. “Zayn that’s- that’s fucking amazing. You’re like- like the next Van Gogh.” Liam gushes.

 

Zayn’s entire being seems to go bright red and he looks away from Liam, unable to contain himself. “Van Gogh was like, a post-impressionist. I do more like, graffiti street style. Sometimes realism pieces.”

 

Liam goes quiet for a moment. “I honestly have no idea what post-impressionist or realism is.” He admits.

 

Zayn just laughs softly, shrugging a bit as he motions for Liam to continue following him to his room. “Post-impressionism is like, y’know how Van Gogh’s stuff is all like-” Zayn pauses for a moment, trying to find a proper way to explain it to someone who wasn’t into art like he is. “All vibrant and it uses a lot more paint?” Liam nods, sorta getting at what Zayn was saying. “Well realism is just realistic, really, and graffiti street style is like the stuff you’d see on the side of a building.”

 

“That one I knew.” Liam laughs softly as Zayn pushes open a door to his room, cringing at how messy it is. He hadn’t thought, that morning, that he would have a cute boy seeing his room and, not for the first time, Zayn wishes he was a cleaner person.

 

“Sorry.” Zayn says, embarrassed. “I’m a messy person, honestly. BUt, to be fair, this is nothing compared to my studio.”

 

“You have an actual studio?” Liam asks curiously. “Can I see it?” Zayn flushes, trying to stutter out a response. He didn’t usually let people into his studio, he didn’t want anyone seeing his unfinished pieces and accidentally ruining them or saying something about them. “Sorry, that’s probably a bit private isn’t it?” Liam flushes, cheeks matching Zayn’s.

 

“Don’t be.” Zayn mumbles. “M’just weird about it, s’all.” Zayn drops his bag next to his desk before turning around to face Liam. “Alright we can uh, we can head out to the forest now.”

 

Liam nods. “I just gotta get the stuff from the car- you don’t mind helping carry some of it do you?”

 

Zayn shakes his head and the two of them head back to Liam’s car, grabbing his stuff before heading into the woods just behind Zayn’s house. “You know, you may not know art but all of this science stuff looks utterly foreign to me.” Zayn says as they walk through the woods, Liam following Zayn’s lead through the trees.

 

“It’s really simple stuff, honestly. The stuff that can do more detailed reports are back at school, we’re not allowed to take them out.” Liam explains. “This is mostly just to takes samples of the water and your blood. Maybe run a quick report of what’s in the water.”

 

“My blood?” Zayn asks, voice a bit higher than usual.

 

“That’s ok right?” Liam asks. “Shit, are you scared of like, needles? Or blood?”

 

Zayn bites his lip. “No.” He mumbles defiantly. “I’m fine.”

 

Liam looks at him for a moment. “It’s ok if you are.” He gives Zayn a surprising genuine smile. “I can hold your hand.”

 

Zayn forces a blush down and rolls his eyes. “Don’t you need to take my blood?”

 

Liam goes quiet for a moment. “You can hold my arm?” He offers, grin stil there.

 

Zayn laughs, stepping over a log and stopping just in front of the small lake. The lake’s not large at all, no more than 20 feet in diameter and maybe 10 feet deep, but luckily, it’s not filled with weeds. “This is it.” Zayn clarifies. “You should keep the stuff on the log here, it drops off into the lake pretty suddenly.” He explains.

 

Liam nods and stays on the other side of the log. “Oh wait, I wanna get three samples of your blood. One before the change, one while you’re a mermaid and one after you’re human again.” He explains. “Oh, and the same for the water. You don’t mind just filling this up with some of the water do you?” Liam hands Zayn a vial.

 

“Wait, three samples of my blood?” Zayn’s voice is an octave higher than usual.

 

“You’ll be fine.” Liam says softly, giving him a reassuring smile.

 

Zayn huffs and rolls up one of his sleeves before sticking his arm out to Liam. “Just do it now before I change my mind.”

 

Liam gently presses his fingers along the crease in Zayn’s arm, making sure there’s a vein where he remembers there is before pushing the needle in. He fills it with Zayn’s blood before pulling it back out. “See?” Liam says softly, putting the filled needle back in a case. “Barely hurt right? And, uh, you can let go now.”

 

Zayn didn’t even realise that part way through he had gripped Liam’s arm tightly, fingers digging into his skin tight enough to leave a bruise on him. “Oh- sorry.” Zayn blushes and lets go right away. “And, for your information, it did hurt.” He huffs slightly, grabbing the vial again from where he put it down on the log. He grabs a quick sample of the lake, careful not to get himself wet before handing it back to Liam, who offers him another empty vial to fill up while Zayn is a merman in the lake. Zayn quickly ducks behind a tree first, shucking off his clothes so they don’t get destroyed from the transformation.

 

Zayn jumps into the lake this time and all over again, the tingling feeling of the water washes over him and he allows his body to change, the water around him bubbling and steaming, but before he knows it, Zayn’s popping back up the surface and his legs have fused together as a tail. He makes sure the vial is filled with water before heading back over to Liam. He pushes his body half out of the water and partially onto the log, handing Liam back his vial. Liam caps it before giving Zayn a sympathetic look and showing him another needle. Zayn just huffs and puts his arm onto the log. “Do it quicker this time.” He mutters, not looking at Liam.

 

“I can’t do it quicker or I’ll make a mistake.” Liam says, voice laced with guilt. “M’sorry.”

 

Zayn just keeps looking away, not wanting to know when the needle’s coming but, all too soon, a needle is pushing through the skin in the same spot, but opposite arm and drawing blood from him again. Zayn forces his arm to stay relaxed but the other arm grips tightly onto the log, nails digging into the wood. As soon as Liam pulls the needle out of him, Zayn flips back into the water, staying under for what feels like moments but is actually much longer. When Zayn truly needs air, he slowly pushes to the surface again, breathing in slowly when he hits the air.

 

“Zayn you just-” Liam looks at him, eyes wide. “You just held your breath for over 15 minutes.”

 

“Really?” Zayn asks, more curious than freaked out.

 

Liam nods. “I was about to jump in and like, save you or something.”

 

Zayn raises an eyebrow at Liam. “Who’s part amphibian here? I think if either of us would need saving from a water related accident, it would be you.”

 

Liam gives him a cheesy grin. “Maybe I just want to give you mouth to mouth.” They both go quiet for a moment. “Sorry- that was- sorry.” Liam mumbles, cheeks turning a dark red while he tries to make himself look busy with his tubes and vials.

 

Zayn gently reaches over and lays a cool hand on top of Liam’s fidgeting one. “It’s fine.” He says softly, making sure to make eye contact with the other boy. “Honestly, I don’t mind, like, at all.” He admits, forcing himself not to blush or look away like he normally would. Not like Zayn ever did that sort of thing, the thing he just did, normally.

 

Liam’s cheeks go a bright pink. “So um.” He says suddenly. “When did you first figure out that you’re a merman?” He asks, trying to be casual about it but Zayn can tell with the way his voice hesitates slight on the word merman.

 

Zayn shrugs, taking his hand back and pushing back into the lake, this time floating on the top and letting his body stretch out lazily. “It was probably in this pond, the first time I ever turned.” He admits, now that he thinks about it.

 

Liam hums, jotting something down in his notebook. “When was that?”

 

“About, I dunno, 3 years ago?”

 

“You’ve been a merman for over 3 years?!” Liam all but shouts. “How did you not- what- how?” He asks, totally and completely surprised.

 

Zayn just shrugs. “I dunno. I don’t like, turn often.” He admits, mumbling softly. “And if I do, it’s usually during the summer in the middle of the night for a couple hours. We have a beach house so I usually sneak out and go for a swim in the ocean. I prefer the salt water, honestly.”

 

Liam writes something else down in his notebook. “Do the chemicals bother you in the public pool?” He asks curiously.

 

“No more than they both you.” Zayn shrugs. “It’s just harder to get caught in sea water than a clear pool.”

 

Liam writes that down too, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully and Zayn has to pull his eyes away from Liam, instead looking up at the cloudy sky and sighing softly. “So when did you first change? Did something happen the time before the first time it happened?”

 

Zayn pauses for a moment, thinking back to three years ago and trying to remember what had happened exactly. They had just moved, that Zayn knew for sure, and Zayn was out in these very woods a few nights after they had arrived, looking for somewhere to get high and just fuck about in his sketch book when- “I fell into this pond.” Zayn says suddenly, eyes wide and he moves so it’s almost like he’s sitting up in the water, staring at Liam with wide eyes. “Oh my god, it’s this pond.”

 

Liam, who’s been jotting down everything Zayn’s said about how it happens stops suddenly, looking at the water suspiciously, as if it could come up and bite him all of sudden. “It’s just water- how could it even-”

 

“Liam, I shouldn’t exist, by all definition, I don’t think you can really ask how right now.” Zayn says. “Just- help me out yeah? I don’t want to be in here any longer.” Zayn mumbles the last bit, swimming over to the edge. Liam nods, putting his book aside and grabbing Zayn’s hands when the merman offers him them, pulling Zayn out of the water. Liam helps Zayn so he’s sitting on the log, tail half off of it and resting on the dirt ground.

 

“What else can you remember about that night?” Liam asks, pen at the ready.

 

Zayn rubs at his face, desperately trying to think back to that night. “I don’t- I don’t really remember, honestly. I was so fucking high and I literally just- tripped into the pond- part of me thought that I was going to die Liam, I didn’t even know to to swim before this whole thing happened.” Zayn admits quietly. “I hated the water- hell, I still hate it.”

 

Liam bites his lip. “Do you uh- do you have any of the weed left? Or whatever it was that you were taking that go you high?”

 

“Why?” Zayn asks, confused.

 

“I wanna test it, see if there’s something that shouldn’t be there that could’ve reacted with the water that might explain how it changed you.” Liam explains. “So, do you?”

 

Zayn thinks for a moment. “Uh, I don’t think so dude, that was three years ago.” Zayn explains, thinking again. “Nah, I don’t.” He says, firmer this time.

 

Liam huffs, obviously slightly annoyed. He writes something else in his notebook and underlines it multiple times. “Right well uh,” Liam says, “tell me about it. Did it taste different? Were the effects stronger? Weaker? Did it last longer?”

 

Zayn shrugs. “Liam,” He half whines, tail flopping slightly as if Zayn was trying to stomp his foot against the ground. “It was three years ago and I was high as fuck, there’s no way I’d remember for sure. I think it was the same?” Liam writes that down too, grabbing a vial and going to lean over the log to get another sample of the pond’s water but Zayn grabs him, eyes wide. “What are you doing?!”

 

“… Getting another sample?” Liam says slowly. “I need one from after your change.”

 

“The water could change you!” Zayn says, slightly hysterical. “Were you not listening to what I was saying!?”

 

Liam sighs softly. “I need another sample though.” He moves his hand back though, as if partially heeding Zayn’s words.

 

Zayn just huffs and grabs the vial from Liam’s hands and leans over himself, filling it with water before handing it back to Liam. “You don’t wanna be a merman Liam.” He says, voice low and more serious than Zayn’s ever been before. “It’s- it’s horrible. It took me over a year to learn to control this whole- tail business when I got water on me. Even now, it’s still shaky at best.”

 

Liam bites his lip. “Yeah but you’re- you’re a merman Zayn. You’re unique and different and-”

 

“And a freak.” Zayn cuts him off. “If you want to be a merman so badly, I’d gladly give you my tail.” He mutters, picking at one of the scales, hissing in pain after a moment.

 

Liam reaches over and bats Zayn’s hand away when he hears the other boy hiss. “Don’t do that.” Liam scolds, as if on instinct. “And you’re not a freak.”

 

“Liam I am literally half fish.” Zayn says, giving Liam a flat look.

 

Liam gives him a small quip of a small. “Well, just be thankful it’s not your top half.”

 

Zayn keeps his flat look up for a moment longer before he can’t help but grin a bit, laughing softly and ducking his head. “You’re so ridiculous, oh my god.” He shakes his head. Zayn goes to say something else as well but his tail starts tingling and a could of steam is let up, leaving Zayn completely naked in front of Liam. He flushes a bright red and covers his crotch with his hands before quickly rolling off the log and running into the bushes where he put his clothes. “Sorry!” Zayn calls out, voice filled with embarrassment as he gets dressed again, poking his head out when he’s fulled clothed.

 

Liam is pointedly looking the other way, offering Zayn some sense of privacy but he can easily see the bright red blush on his face. “Don’t be- I should’ve like, grabbed your clothing from the bushes or something.” He says, not looking over until Zayn comes back and into his peripheral vision, making Liam realise that the other boy is dressed again.

 

“No harm no foul right?” Zayn says, still nervous but Liam just nods, busying himself with packing up the science equipment.

 

“I’ll run most of the tests tonight and tomorrow morning.” Liam says, getting up off the ground and picking up a few of the things. “Y’mind taking that for me?” He motions to one kits, now filled with the needles containing Zayn’s blood. Zayn gingerly picks it up, holding it out at an arms length and making Liam roll his eyes, grinning slightly. “It’s not gonna bite you.”

 

“Yeah but it might suddenly turn into a fish.” Zayn mutters, eyeing the needles but carrying it normally.

 

“I think it’s more your genetic coding that changes, not so much your blood cells.” Liam laughs, following Zayn back through the woods and towards his house. “Anyways, even if it was your blood cells, it would still just be blood.”

 

“’Just blood’” Zayn huffs, mocking Liam’s tone slightly. “Any blood is gross.”

 

“Blood is amazing, like, scientifically.” Liam says, getting excited. “The properties and the things that blood can tell someone who knows what they’re looking for is truly amazing.” He flushes, ducking his head and stepping over a root. “Sorry, that’s probably creepy for you.”

 

Zayn shakes his head. “I mean, I don’t personally get it but it’s like you and the different types of painting style.” He shrugs, the two of them stepping out of the last line of trees and heading towards the back door of Zayn’s place. “Besides,” Zayn says, cheeks already flushing from what he’s going to say next but Zayn musters up all the courage he can find and forces himself to say the next the next few words. “You get really cute when you get passionate about something.”

 

“You think I’m cute?” Liam says, looking up at Zayn with wide eyes but, before Zayn can response, Liam accidentally trips over his feet and Zayn goes to grab at him, both of them crashing to a ground. Zayn lands on top of Liam with a small ‘oof’, cheeks bright red.

 

“Are you ok?” He asks, trying to move off of Liam.

 

“Fine, I’m fine.” Liam huffs out, slightly breathless from Zayn landing on top of him. “You?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Zayn nods, laying on his back next to Liam. “The equipment and stuff good?”

 

“What? Oh, uh,” Liam flushes, and does a quick visual check on the stuff they dropped. “All seems to be good.”

 

Zayn nods again, looking up at the sky. “Sorry.” He mumbles. “Totally my fault.”

 

Liam just laughs softly, looking over at Zayn’s profile. “You’re not the one who can’t walk properly.” He points out. “Or the one who gets flustered so easily that you trip over your own two feet.”

 

“I dunno, that last one could be me.” Zayn smiles, rolling his head over so he and Liam are face-to-face. They lock eyes and Zayn can’t help but note how soft and warm Liam’s eyes look. Almost like a deep chocolate pool that just pulls you in, wrapping you up in it’s warm chocolate blankets and keeping you there for the rest of forever. “Your eyes are a beautiful colour.” He says quietly.

 

Liam’s cheeks turn that oh so familiar shade of pink but he keeps eye contact with Zayn. “Yours look like it’s chocolate mixed with honey mixed with, like, gold.” He says, smiling a bit. “Much more poetic and beautiful than my boring brown, I’m sure.”

 

Zayn finds himself frowning slightly. “Your eyes are like warm chocolate.” Zayn reaches his hand out, gently tracing underneath Liam’s eyes. “And in just the right light…” He trails off for a moment, moving his fingers down to Liam’s chin and tilting his head just slightly before continuing speaking. “They look like someone accidentally dumped golden flakes in them.” Liam’s face is hot under Zayn’s cool fingers and he finally breaks eye contact, eyes moving down to Zayn’s lips, watching at they move with the other boy’s next words. “Ask me to kiss you.” Zayn breathes out, face moving closer to Liam’s.

 

“Most people would just kiss without asking.” Liam mumbles out, moving closer as well. Their faces are almost pressed together, noses brushing slightly.

 

“Consent is everything.” Zayn mumbles. “So, ask me to kiss you.”

 

“Kiss me?” Liam asks, tongue darting out to wet his own lips and accidentally brushing against Zayn’s lips. Zayn’s eyes float down for a moment, eyeing Liam’s wet lips before they move back up to meet Liam’s, twinkling with something fun and kind, and maybe something else that makes Liam’s heart flutter abnormally fast, in the way that Sophia or anyone else he’s ever date never made it flutter.

 

They both seem to hold their breath for a moment before Zayn leans forward, lips gently brushing against Liam’s. First, it’s barely at all but moments later Zayn’s pressing them more firmly, chapped lips moving gently against Liam’s soft ones. Liam gets out a small sigh, hand coming up to cup Zayn’s face and he kisses back, every movement of their lips filling the other with more courage to kiss stronger and deeper before they need to pull back, air desperately needed for both of them. Liam’s hand stays cupping Zayn’s face and their foreheads rest against each other as they breath deeply and their eyes stay closed, both locked in a moment that they know is the start of something unknown and utterly amazing.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at [squishyliampayne](http://squishyliampayne.tumblr.com/)


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